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What changed in the new Xbox PC app? Faster game library loading, smoother page navigation
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- DeepHorus
The new Xbox PC app codenamed Garrison showed performance improvements in early testing. A tester from an overseas media outlet said the new app is noticeably faster when loading large game libraries. The tester's game library contains more than 1,400 games. The current app has performance problems when loading large game libraries and the Xbox PC game store, and the new version's speed improvement is especially obvious when loading the game library.
This test focused on the user experience of the Xbox PC app. The new version merges store entries and game entries into the same interface. The tester said store entries and game entries are no longer split into two pages, and switching between entries is also smoother. This adjustment reduces the need to jump back and forth between the store and the game library.
The new interface also makes it easier for users to see whether a game can be installed or can only be streamed through Xbox Cloud Gaming. The tester pointed out that this way of displaying makes different statuses more intuitive. The app also offers operation designs for both mouse and keyboard and controller. In the new Game Mode settings in Windows 11, users can set it as the default main interface and use a display scale suitable for controller operation.
Judging from the test feedback, the new version does not add many features at this stage. The tester believes that the improvements are mainly concentrated in performance and ease of use. For users with large game libraries, the improvement in loading speed is a more noticeable change. After store and game entries are merged, content switching is also smoother.
The tester also pointed out that compared with Steam, the Xbox PC platform still has gaps in community tools, communication between developers and players, and the display of reviews. The new store page has not yet been fully implemented, so the related experience cannot be concluded. Therefore, it is still difficult to judge the performance of the new store under full functionality. The tester believes that what can be confirmed at this stage is mainly improvements in performance and navigation.
The Xbox Cloud Gaming interface codenamed Bastion that Microsoft previously tested and Garrison are two different changes. Garrison targets the Xbox PC app, while Bastion involves the Xbox Cloud Gaming interface. The tester emphasized that the two should not be conflated. This distinction shows that the related tests cover different product directions respectively.
The tester speculates that the new app may be provided to Xbox Insiders on PC in the coming weeks. However, there is currently no confirmed launch date. This means that the official rollout time for Garrison is still unclear.
